When I think of cocoa butter, the first thing that comes to my mind is chocolate. However, it is widely used in skincare formulations.
Cocoa butter has been used as a natural ingredient in many different skin care products for hundreds of years. With some historical sources claiming that it was used or consumed in 460 AD.
Chocolatiers use the butter to improve the texture and consistency of their chocolate. By adding the cocoa butter to the mixture, the chocolate will become glossier and a lot less runny. The butter is also used to create colourful designs on things such as Easter eggs or personalised chocolate bars. As the cocoa butter is light in colour, it can easily be mixed with different colours and painted directly onto the chocolate.
Types of Cocoa Butter
In skincare there are two types of cocoa butter that are used:
- Deodorised
- Non-deodorised
When the butter is deodorized, it has been through a process (chemically or physically) to decrease its odour. A high amount of steam is added to the mix to change the smell and ultimately create a plain flavour that is light in colour. Skincare companies will use deodorised cocoa butter to prevent the chocolatey aroma from being too overpowering.
Here at Sweet Cecily’s, we use a mixture of non-deodorised and deodorised cocoa butter. Our Lip Balm Kits all contain Cocoa Butter pellets which are non-deodorised and therefore have a strong smell of chocolate. This is in its most natural form of the ingredient as it has not been through the process of removing the odour. Once the cocoa butter is combined in our creams, for example, you can no longer smell the chocolatey goodness (sorry for those who wanted their skin to smell like a chocolate bar!) The unrefined butter has enough flavour to be the stand-alone origin for making white chocolate. The main benefit of the non-deodorized cocoa butter is that it carries essential antioxidants and vitamins, making this more effective for our skin.
For our lip balms, we use a large block of de-odorised cocoa butter. We use this when we are making large batches to ensure that there is no interference in the smell or taste.
Where Does Cocoa Butter Come From?
A little bit of background about where cocoa butter comes from. It originates from the Cacao Bean that can be found inside the cocoa pod of the Theobroma cacao. In the pod, there are over 30 cocoa seeds which are dried and pressed. Vegetable fat can then be extracted and once turned to a solid becomes cocoa butter. This pale-yellow substance is edible and is in fact entirely plant based and vegan.
The cocoa butter which we use in our skincare products are all organic and in its raw form. The cacao butter pellets are from Peru and the de-odorised block which goes in our Lip Balms is from the Ivory Coast
We Use Cocoa Butter as it Has Many Benefits!
Cocoa butter has several great benefits for our skin and for our overall health. It has been found that consuming cocoa butter in moderation can help to boost mood, lover blood cholesterol levels and support brain health. The fats in the butter are deemed as heart healthy as they are high in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
For our skin, cocoa butter works wonders.
Applying products containing cocoa butter to our skin will keep the area hydrated. As it is high in fatty acids, it can sink deep into the skin, keeping it nourished. We add this into the blend of powerful ingredients used in our lip balms to give you soft and smooth lips that have locked in moisture.
The hydrating properties of the cocoa butter can also help to alleviate sensitive and irritated skin. The fatty acids found in the butter create a barrier on our skin, locking in moisture. Stopping our skin from drying out and therefore, helping to relieve dry skin and even reduce painful skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Our Soothing Skin Cream contains cocoa butter which has helped many people struggling with dry skin conditions to lessen their pain and discomfort.
The antioxidants found in cocoa butter has been shown to protect the skin for the inside. This is by its ability to neutralize oxidative stress, which is an important factor in the premature skin ageing process. Instead, helping us to maintain a healthier and more youthful look.
What Do We Use Cocoa Butter In?
We add cocoa butter into three of our products, they are our Lip Balms, Lip Balm Kits, and our Soothing Skin Cream.
Lip Balms
We add a large amount of cocoa butter into the ingredients used for making our Lip Balms. As we don’t use petroleum jelly like many other companies that produce lip balms, the cocoa butter helps to provide the nourishment and hydration that our lips require. This is especially important in the colder months. By using cocoa butter, we can prevent the lip balms from being too greasy and over excessive on oil.
Lip Balm Kits
Cocoa butter comes as standard in all our Make Your Own Lip Balm kits, along with, shea butter, almond & calendula oil, beeswax, and a natural flavour. These are all the same ingredients that are used in the lip balms that we make in our HQ.
Soothing Skin Cream
One of the main ingredients in our Soothing Skin Cream is Cocoa Butter. By using a powerful blend of natural ingredients, our cream can help sooth problematic skin whether it be acne or eczema.
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